Palau

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Palau's Information


Capital	Melekeok
Languages	Palauan (official on most islands) 65.2%, other Micronesian 1.9%, English (official) 19.1%, Filipino 9.9%, Chinese 1.2%, other 2.8%
Ethnic Groups	Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 73%, Carolinian 2%, Asian 21.7%, caucasian 1.2%, other 2.1% (2015 est.)
Religion	Roman Catholic 45.3%, Protestant 34.9% (includes Evangelical 26.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.9%, Assembly of God .9%, Baptist .7%), Modekngei 5.7% (indigenous to Palau), Muslim 3%, Mormon 1.5%, other 9.7% (2015 est.)
Government	Presidential republic in free association with the US
Independance	1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Area	459.00 km²
Land Area	459.00 km²
Population	21,347.00
Location	Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
GDP(PPP)	$283,500,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$15,300.00 (USD)
Export Commodities	Its main exports are shellfish, tuna, and other fish.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, fuels, metals, and foodstuffs.
Climate	Tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
Terrain	Varying topography from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Where is Palau?

Located in Oceania, Palau is an island nation. It has a 1,519.00 km coastline. The Palau has maritime delineation negotiations with the Philippines and Indonesia.

The capital city of Palau is Ngerulmud. Up until 2006 the nearby city of Koror served as the capital and seat of government. With an area of seventeen square miles and a population of less than 400 Ngerulmud has the distinction of being the world’s least populated capital city in terms of international sovereign states. The main business of Ngerulmud involves the administration of government. Unlike a large percentage of capital cities Ngerulmud doesn’t attract many tourists or foreign visitors. Several nearby attractions include the Japanese War Memorial Site as well as Malsol’s Tomb. With a tropical rainfall climate Ngerulmud sees more than its share of rainfall with monthly amounts ranging from about eight to seventeen inches.

Geography

Palau has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a tropical climate that is hot in humid, with a wet season from May to November. Its terrain varies depending on height, from mountains to coral islands.

Population

Palau has a population of 21,347 making it the 218th largest in the world.

Palauan is the official language on most islands. The major ethnic groups reported are Palauan and Carolinian. The majority of the country is either Roman Catholic or Christian.

The Pacific island of Palau has two official languages; English and Palauan. With an alphabet that includes six vowels and ten consonants, Palauan is part of the Austronesian family of languages. It is spoken by approximately 17,000 people not only in Palau but also by residents living in both Guam and Northern Mariana Island. In the states of Sonsorol and Hatohobei the native languages of Sonsorolese and Tobian are also recognized to be official languages. On the island of Angaur, Palauan and English are joined by Japanese as an official language. Useful phrases in Palauan include the greetings of “Alii” (hello) and “Ungil Tutau” (good evening).

Government

Palau is an independent country. It gained independene in 1994. Its constitution was last ratified in 1981.

The government of the Republic of Palau operates democratically as a unitary presidential constitutional republic. Its head of state is the President who serves for a period of four years and can only be re-elected once. The legislative branch of government is made up of the Senate and National Congress. Although Palau is politically independent according to the 1994 Compact of Free Association the United States is obligated to provide the Pacific Island with military defenses for a period of fifty years. The National Congress, currently made up of thirteen members, is located in the city of Koror which is the island’s most populated city.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Palau's GDP is $283,500,000.00 (USD) with $15,300.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 215th largest economy and its citizens the 101st richest in the world. The currency of Palau is the Dollar (USD).

Its major imports include machinery and equipment, fuels, metals, and foodstuffs.

Flag

The flag representing the Republic of Palau consists of a design which features a blue background with a large yellow circle positioned offside towards the hoist. The flag was adopted on January 1, 1981 after Palau gained its independence and became a self-governing state. The blue on the flag symbolizes its freedom from foreign rule while the yellow circle is a reference to the full moon which local residents believe to be a particularly good time to initiate activities such as traditional ceremonies and agricultural harvests. The flag was designed by Blau J. Skebong and is thought to have been influenced by similar national flag designs used by Bangladesh and Japan. As a former colony Palau has historically been represented by the flags of several other nations including Spain, Germany, Japan, and the United States.